It is known that “pre-ignitions” in internal combustion engines lead to high combustion pressures, which generally cause severe knock and, as a result, engine damage.
The practice of measuring and monitoring knock intensity during combustion by means of an acceleration sensor is known from the prior art, e.g. DE 100 43 498 A1. When increased knock in the internal combustion engine is detected, measures which reduce engine knock are automatically initiated for a brief period by the engine control system.
The disadvantage with this procedure is that the tendency of the internal combustion engine for pre-ignitions is counteracted by suitable measures only after knocking of the internal combustion engine has already occurred.